Team Goldfish Blog has moved to my new website Swimmer, Traveler, Lover, Fighter. Look for new content on swimming (and other topics) there and let me know what you think!
Team Goldfish is the "official" blog of Alison's excellent adventure in preparing for the Swim Across America Baltimore Open Water Swim 2013.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Team Goldfish blog has moved...
Team Goldfish Blog has moved to my new website Swimmer, Traveler, Lover, Fighter. Look for new content on swimming (and other topics) there and let me know what you think!
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Exhausted Goldfish! What's next?
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| This photo of Vince says it all--exhausted Goldfish! |
Which is why this supporter snap, which arrived yesterday from my lovely neighbors Vince and Rebekah cracked me up. It encapsulates everything I felt Sunday afternoon and all day Monday--exhausted goldfish!
Thanks so much friends for keeping the Team Goldfish fun going!
I'm likely going to take a couple of days off from the Team Goldfish blog and try and figure out what next! Both in terms of my swimming goals, and in how this blog can morph now that it's not about gearing up for the Swim Across America Baltimore Open Water Swim. But, it's going to continue--it's so much fun to write, and "research" and connect with others in the swim community (and outstide of it) to create the content.
But for now this exhausted goldfish is going to take a little bit of time to recover...I'll be back soon to tell you what's next!
Monday, September 23, 2013
The SAA Baltimore Open Water Swim Cap!
At yoga class, my teachers always encourage us to set an intention for our practice. I've found this to be a really powerful process and have begun adapt it for days I know will be really busy or challenging.
In swimming, intention can be a powerful thing as well. That's why swimmers develop race plans. So for the Swim Across America Baltimore 3 mile Open Water Swim I decided to try my hand at a race plan for the first time. It was a simple one--goal of swimming in 1 hour and 45 minutes (or less). Fast first mile, try and maintain for the second mile, stick with it for mile three, and dig in for the last bit.
So, how'd the day go?
As I wrote earlier this weekend, my mom came into town for the swim, and we drove out to Annapolis so we'd have a shorter ride to the swim with such an early start. And an early start it was. We were up and at'em at 5 am. But if you are going to have to get motivated at 5 am, the Original Goldfish are really good at doing it. My dad, who is home in Illinois with a cold, emailed the photo below (left), and my mom was pumped up and ready to go!
So after getting my pep, my nutrition, and some stretching in at the hotel, we hit the road to the swim! Weather wise, we lucked out 100%. They had been calling for rain, but it was a beautiful sunny morning.
It was still dark when we pulled into the farm where the swim was taking place. And even from that, it was clear that this was no ordinary swim. It was a beautiful horse farm, and there were people to direct us for parking. When we walked down to near the water, there were tents for registration and gear and for first time participants to get "rookie" temporary tattoos. There was a a stage and music playing, and tables covered in red, white and blue cloths. It was Swim Across America land!
Red House Cove was a beautiful, flat body of water with lots of boats anchored there. The water was about 72 degrees (so I opted to wear my wet suit) and SALTY! Also, no one mentioned the jellyfish.
There were about 200 swimmers at the event, and about 50 of us were doing the three mile course. The loaded us into the start pen, and Theresa Andrews, a Baltimore native who won a gold in the 100 m backstroke in the 1984 Olympics, started the race.
I'd told myself that I wasn't going to get caught up in the start and over-swim. And I didn't! I let the group from Towson University Swimming and the gold-medal winning Paralympian Ian Silverman and the other speed demons go for it. By the way, Silverman "won" the race, swimming it in 48 minutes. Crazy!
I swam my race, finishing the first mile in under 31 minutes, and the second in under 32 minutes. I felt great, during both those laps (though the standing up and running along the beach part was difficult (it's hard to go from horizontal to vertical). On my second loop, I met the jellyfish for the first time, and got some prickly stings on my right arm.
The third, 1-mile loop was the tough one. I was tiring and a bit of chop had picked up on the water, and unfortunately, I was starting to cramp in my calves. My pace slowed to about 35 minutes, and despite another run-in with the jellys, I was able to stick with my race plan and push the last 200 meters.
Only problem was that when I reached the beach, with my cramped up calves, I stood up, tripped and fell over. Yup, I was that girl! Needless to say, I crossed the finish line with a time of ~1 hour and 41 minutes. Which included the little runs up onto the beach.
And I was really excited to finish the swim, and do it faster than my goal time as I represented the 60+ individuals and families who supported me and the amazing work of the Swim Across America Laboratory at Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Listening to Dr. Luis Diaz, the director of the Swim Across America Laboratory, it was amazing to hear how the $425,000 that was raised through the event (and $4,063 that Team Goldfish members contributed) will fund cutting edge research, cancer support services for couples, and shaping of a new generation of medical researchers. Here's what the sign outside the lab looks like!
Read an example of the Lab's cutting edge research here!
Thanks again to all the members of Team Goldfish, and to everyone who emailed, texted, and called leading up to and following the race. Your support means so much to me!
In swimming, intention can be a powerful thing as well. That's why swimmers develop race plans. So for the Swim Across America Baltimore 3 mile Open Water Swim I decided to try my hand at a race plan for the first time. It was a simple one--goal of swimming in 1 hour and 45 minutes (or less). Fast first mile, try and maintain for the second mile, stick with it for mile three, and dig in for the last bit.
So, how'd the day go?
As I wrote earlier this weekend, my mom came into town for the swim, and we drove out to Annapolis so we'd have a shorter ride to the swim with such an early start. And an early start it was. We were up and at'em at 5 am. But if you are going to have to get motivated at 5 am, the Original Goldfish are really good at doing it. My dad, who is home in Illinois with a cold, emailed the photo below (left), and my mom was pumped up and ready to go!
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| The Original Goldfish on Big Swim Day! |
It was still dark when we pulled into the farm where the swim was taking place. And even from that, it was clear that this was no ordinary swim. It was a beautiful horse farm, and there were people to direct us for parking. When we walked down to near the water, there were tents for registration and gear and for first time participants to get "rookie" temporary tattoos. There was a a stage and music playing, and tables covered in red, white and blue cloths. It was Swim Across America land!
Red House Cove was a beautiful, flat body of water with lots of boats anchored there. The water was about 72 degrees (so I opted to wear my wet suit) and SALTY! Also, no one mentioned the jellyfish.
There were about 200 swimmers at the event, and about 50 of us were doing the three mile course. The loaded us into the start pen, and Theresa Andrews, a Baltimore native who won a gold in the 100 m backstroke in the 1984 Olympics, started the race.
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| Clockwise (starting top left): Sporting my rookie tattoo, the Red Cove Course, Swim Across America flag, Mom and I pre-race, and me running up on the beach between the first and second miles. |
I swam my race, finishing the first mile in under 31 minutes, and the second in under 32 minutes. I felt great, during both those laps (though the standing up and running along the beach part was difficult (it's hard to go from horizontal to vertical). On my second loop, I met the jellyfish for the first time, and got some prickly stings on my right arm.
The third, 1-mile loop was the tough one. I was tiring and a bit of chop had picked up on the water, and unfortunately, I was starting to cramp in my calves. My pace slowed to about 35 minutes, and despite another run-in with the jellys, I was able to stick with my race plan and push the last 200 meters.
Only problem was that when I reached the beach, with my cramped up calves, I stood up, tripped and fell over. Yup, I was that girl! Needless to say, I crossed the finish line with a time of ~1 hour and 41 minutes. Which included the little runs up onto the beach.
And I was really excited to finish the swim, and do it faster than my goal time as I represented the 60+ individuals and families who supported me and the amazing work of the Swim Across America Laboratory at Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Listening to Dr. Luis Diaz, the director of the Swim Across America Laboratory, it was amazing to hear how the $425,000 that was raised through the event (and $4,063 that Team Goldfish members contributed) will fund cutting edge research, cancer support services for couples, and shaping of a new generation of medical researchers. Here's what the sign outside the lab looks like!
Read an example of the Lab's cutting edge research here!
Thanks again to all the members of Team Goldfish, and to everyone who emailed, texted, and called leading up to and following the race. Your support means so much to me!
Sunday, September 22, 2013
The Swim Across America Baltimore Open Water Swim is finally here!
On June 23, 2013 I signed up to take on the longest open water swim of my life! 91 days later, it's finally here. I feel excited and nervous, grateful and supported, and most of all ready!
While I don't aspire to be a top ten finisher in the swim (seriously, there will be Olympians in the field), I am excited to report that from the looks of it, Team Goldfish will be a top 10 fundraiser for cancer research at Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Check back soon for the full report on how the Swim Across America Baltimore Open Water Swim goes!
While I don't aspire to be a top ten finisher in the swim (seriously, there will be Olympians in the field), I am excited to report that from the looks of it, Team Goldfish will be a top 10 fundraiser for cancer research at Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Check back soon for the full report on how the Swim Across America Baltimore Open Water Swim goes!
Saturday, September 21, 2013
We're on the road to Pasadena (Maryland) for Swim Across America!
We're? Yes we're! Because Team Goldfish has a support team for this Sunday's Swim Across America Baltimore Open Water Swim! You may recognize her, you may know her, you may even be married to her! (I know my readership.) Yup it's my awesome mom, Joan!
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| The best support team a girl could ask for! My mom sporting her Team Goldfish swimcap. |
My mom will be in town for ~32 hours. Because she's awesome! I'm going to pick her up and we'll head out to Annapolis for the night, since it's closer to the race. Then it'll be an early start on Sunday--since registration is open from 6-7, and there will be a half hour drive to get to Red House Cove--looking like a 5 am start. Some visit!
As of Thursday, the water temperature was 76, so I'm debating doing the swim sans wetsuit. Likely going to decide on Sunday morning. But, the weather forecast is looking like rain, light wind and 73 degrees for the high. So send your good energies toward Pasadena, MD for clear weather on Sunday (though overcast wouldn't be so bad--it makes it easier to site) so my mom doesn't have to get as wet as I do!
Friday, September 20, 2013
Only one thing left to say...
To all the amazing members of Team Goldfish who provided moral and fundraising support for my first Swim Across America adventure, I only have one thing left to say...
Thank You!!!
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| Just some of the amazing members of Team Goldfish! |
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Is this Twitter exchange a sign from the swim gods?
As I've mentioned before, my favorite swimmer growing up was Janet Evans and I still am a big fan. So today, when she posted on Twitter, I replied. And then this happened:
Seriously, this was so cool, I had to forward it to my mom! And the 1 favorite on that last tweet--was from Janet Evans.
@janetevans happy silver anniversary for your first gold. I remember 8 yo me cheering you on via tv!
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) September 19, 2013
Coolest tweet ever! “@janetevans: @AKGold11 Thank you Alison. And thank you for cheering so many years ago!”
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) September 19, 2013
Seriously, this was so cool, I had to forward it to my mom! And the 1 favorite on that last tweet--was from Janet Evans.
Team Goldfish Fundraising Update: We did it! We raised more than $4000!
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| Team Goldfish supporters have contributed over $4000 for cancer research at Johns Hopkins Medicine! |
One of the amazing things about how Swim Across America raises money for cancer is that it partners with a specific institution, and the money goes to directly fund research and counseling services at the Swim Across America Laboratory!
The amount of money Team Goldfish members far exceeded my expectations. Thank you so much for your generosity in supporting this important cause, and your kindness in supporting me in this swim.
I promise to stop sending emails harassing you to contribute (though you still can thru Sunday). And rest my muscles and mind so they can complete the 3 miles and represent my team well! Thank you so much!
The Goldfish Net: Interesting Swim Stuff from Around the Interweb #2
The more I've been swimming and blogging about swimming, the more I've discovered that there are so many great resources on the topic. Occasionally I'll round up some interesting swim stuff from around the interweb using The Goldfish Net.
Toyko 2020--After Tokyo was selected as the host for the 2020 Summer Olympics, Mike Gustafson wrote a great piece about his experience swimming at a Japanese Masters meet.
Endless Summer: Catching Up with NYC's Longest-Serving Lifeguard from the New York Observer. This guy is a kick, and it's a great read both in terms of inter-generational relations, how he met his wife, and swimming as a life long sport. Hat tip to NYC Swim for bringing this to my attention.
New Trier HS Girls Begin Quest for State Championship 4Peat-I didn't swim in high school, but I did attend New Trier High School and our swim program--boys and girls--has always been top notch. From SwimSwam.
How Long Does it Take to Fall Out of Shape? Outside answers, and it's a bit of a bummer.
Greatest Swims: Five Epic Swims in the Wake of Nyad's Feat from the folks at National Geographic features some well-known people and swims in the open water world. Lord Byron, Gertrude Ederle, Lynn Cox and Matthew Webb all get their kudos. Don't know who they are? All the more reason to read the article!
I don't know if you heard, but Diana Nyad swam from Cuba to Florida. I kid, I kid. It was AMAZING as was her message on Ellen.
In line with this sentiment, Nyad's already set her sights on her next aquatic feat, issuing this invitation on her website:
"Join me in NYC or donate to help those still suffering the effects of Hurricane Sandy. To mark the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Sandy, I will swim for 48 continuous hours in NYC’s iconic Herald Square to benefit AmeriCares' disaster relief activities. For every $1 donated since 2010, they have provided $20 in aid. It’s natural to show support and compassion for victims of natural disasters during the moment of tragedy. It’s equally important to show solidarity for those who are still working to repair their lives almost a year later. This swim is about demonstrating that we continue to stand by their side supporting them as passionately now as we did then."
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Taper Time!
What's taper you ask?
Well according to the American Swimming Coaches Association:
A taper is "the reduction of workload during a period immediately prior to a major competition." There is no one way to do a taper, nor a magic formula. One of the most important things that a swimmer must do during a taper, any taper, is to believe in themselves, their abilities, and the work they have done over the course of the season.
So after three months of consistent, and relatively high-volume swimming, lifting, and yoga (given that I have a full time job), it's taper time! I'm still exercising, but doing less work and lowering the intensity. In fact today--Wednesday--will be my last swim before Swim Across America Baltimore Open Water Swim. As an added bonus, I'm getting a massage tonight to work out all the kinks in my shoulders!
Taper, is also a topic with a lot of niche humor in the swim community. Some samples:
Taper means "a gradual lessening" but when I'm tapering, I'm not running, jumping, walking, lifting, moving, or talking.
— Mike Gustafson (@mikelgustafson) July 19, 2013
Tip #3 Walking is overrated! #GroceryShopping #TaperTipsWithZiggy @swimswamnews pic.twitter.com/Bce4MYcp
— Ziggy McGinnis (@Zach_McGinnis) February 2, 2013
Missy Franklin is featured in her club team's parody video about taper:
So, if you're looking for me, I'm on taper!
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Team Goldfish Pennsylvania!
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| Steve, Sally, Brownie & Zoey, and Reni are all members of Team Goldfish Pennsylvania! |
I'm asking all the members of Team Goldfish to snap photos of themselves sporting their "official" team swim caps or stickers so my team will be with me on race day, September 22.
As past editions of Supporters Snaps attest, the members of Team Goldfish are a creative and fun bunch, and this week's edition is no exception!
Today's edition of Supporters Snaps features Team Goldfish Pennsylvania!
On the left you'll find my former boss Steve. By the looks of it, he's sporting his cap in the office! Next to him is my friend and nutrition expert extraordinaire, Sally giving the thumbs up for Team Goldfish! Beside her is my former neighbor, good friend and equestrian Zoey holding her friend's dog named Brownie. Zoey reports they liked this photo because Brownie's eyes match Team Goldfish colors. And last, but not least, is Reni who can now proudly sport her Team Goldfish cap to swim practice! Just keep swimming Reni!
What will Team Goldfish members think up next?
Monday, September 16, 2013
Monday Morning Video: Swim and Shine (Not Giving In)
Earlier this summer, a video made the rounds that many were hailing as the greatest swimming psych up video of all time.
And while that video was motivating, I have to admit that I prefer this one--for the soundtrack, for the inclusion of open water swimmers, women, paralympians, and swimmers of all ages. And for the fact that there's a lot more swimming in it. So, as I start to get myself psyched up for the "big swim," the Swim Across America Baltimore Open Water Swim, it seemed fitting that this week's Monday Morning Video be my favorite swimming psych up vid!
Hat tip to SwimSwam for bringing both videos to my attention!
As a reminder, we're in the final week of fundraising for cancer research with the hope of raising $4000 for the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Care Center at Johns Hopkins. And we have a challenge grant. Since we're only $555 away, I will match the first $200 in donations. Donate here!
Friday, September 13, 2013
Challenge Grant: Let's get to $4000, and I'll match up to $200 in contributions!
It's hard to believe that after a long summer of training and fundraising, we're heading into the last week before the Swim Across America Baltimore Open Water Swim. I'm feeling ready and excited about swimming 3 miles on Sunday, September 22.
But, before the race, there's one last challenge I want to push for! Back in June, I set my initial fundraising goal was to raise $1500 for the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins Medicine. and supporters smashed it in two weeks.
Then I doubled down on my goal and said let's go for $3000, and supporters smashed that one too!
As of today, Team Goldfish members have contributed $3,545 to cancer research. Which is amazing!
But, all this swim training has made me competitive in service of a good cause. So I'm really hoping that there are some additional Team Goldfish supporters out there who will help us get to $4,000. And here's the incentive--I will match up to $200 in contributions.
So make a contribution through my SAA Fundraising Page between now and September 21, 2013 (I get an email when you donate), I'll add up everything that gets donated this week, and making a contribution to match it (up to $200) before the big race!
Thanks to all who have contributed thus far! I'm honored to have you support me as I make waves to fight cancer.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
To Swim, Perchance to Dream: Regent Park Aquatic Centre
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| Regent Park Aquatic Centre after morning lap swim ended. |
Some people have a dream car, or a dream house. But the more I get into swimming, the more I have dream pools. Places I'd like to swim, or wish I could swim every day.
There are only 11 days until the Swim Across America Baltimore Open Water Swim (and you can still donate!) On Saturday, I hopped a flight to Toronto for a weekend visit with my friend Cynthia and a three day visit to the Meeting of the Minds conference.
Cynthia is a friend I made when we were both traveling in Cambodia, and this is the first time I've seen her since. We had lots of fun exploring Toronto on Saturday, and on Sunday, she upped my game on my yoga practice by introducing me to Moksha Yoga (in a heated room), and then doing a flow class outdoors in Toronto's beautiful High Park!
On Monday, I knew I had to get back in the pool. And that's where this week's dream pool comes into play!
The Regent Park Aquatic Centre is a public swimming pool built in the midst "of a failed postwar social housing community" and as an anchor for that neighborhood's revitalization. There's a great article on the design of the Centre from the Toronto Star.
The staff is lovely, the pool and facilities are beautiful and well maintained, and it's free! The only drawback on Monday at 7:30 am, was that it was BUSY! Turns out a lot of the other public pools get cleaned this time of year, so everyone came over to Regent Park. But, I managed--with the help of a woman who was just back from the Big Shoulders 5k in Chicago--to log about 3200 meters before swim wrapped up at 9 am. Not bad for work travel!
Have a suggestion for a future post of "To Swim, Perchance to Dream?" Email me or tweet me with the hashtag #dreampool.
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| The view walking up to the Regent Park Aquatic Centre for my morning swim! |
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Supporter Snaps #9: More Little Goldfish
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| Daniel, David & Bode, & Adeline! |
I'm asking all the members of Team Goldfish to snap photos of themselves sporting their "official" team swim caps or stickers so my team will be with me on race day, September 22.
As past editions of Supporters Snaps attest, the members of Team Goldfish are a creative and fun bunch, and this week's edition is no exception!
Today's edition of Supporters Snaps features some more of the youngest goldfish!
On the left you'll find Daniel, one of the twin sons of my high school friend Carrie who reports, "So the swim cap is not such a big hit with my boys. Here's Daniel wearing it. Sam wouldn't even let me put it on his head."
In the center is another childhood and family friend--David sporting the swim cap, and his little guy with the big blue eyes is Bode. They're representing Team Goldfish supporters Richard and Nancy.
On the right is Adeline representing my cousins the Walkush family of Brooklyn. Even in a still picture you can tell that she's full of energy!
I think the lesson here, is little kids don't like wearing swim caps, but they look really cute in photos nonetheless!
What will Team Goldfish members think up next? The photos have really been rolling in, so come back to the blog soon and see!
Monday, September 9, 2013
Monday Morning Video: The Other Shore Trailer
Yekra Player
Yekra is a revolutionary new distribution network for feature films.
The Other Shore
The Other Shore follows world record holder and legendary swimmer Diana Nyad as she comes out of a thirty-year retirement to re-attempt an elusive dream: swimming 103 miles non-stop from Cuba to Florida without the use of a shark cage. Her past and present collide in her obsession with a feat that nobody has ever accomplished. At the edge of The Devil’s Triangle, tropical storms, sharks, venomous jellyfish, and one of the strongest ocean currents in the world, all prove to be life-threatening realities. Timothy Wheeler’s documentary brings Diana Nyad’s extraordinary adventure to life as Diana sets out to prove that will and determination are all you need to make the unimaginable possible.
Yekra is a revolutionary new distribution network for feature films.
The Other Shore
The Other Shore follows world record holder and legendary swimmer Diana Nyad as she comes out of a thirty-year retirement to re-attempt an elusive dream: swimming 103 miles non-stop from Cuba to Florida without the use of a shark cage. Her past and present collide in her obsession with a feat that nobody has ever accomplished. At the edge of The Devil’s Triangle, tropical storms, sharks, venomous jellyfish, and one of the strongest ocean currents in the world, all prove to be life-threatening realities. Timothy Wheeler’s documentary brings Diana Nyad’s extraordinary adventure to life as Diana sets out to prove that will and determination are all you need to make the unimaginable possible.
If you're anything like me, you've spent the last week celebrating Diana Nyad's successful open water swim of the Florida Straits. She's rightfully been called the toughest athlete in the world and she's 64 years old!
There is a documentary coming out about her called the The Other Shore which follows, "Nyad as she comes out of a thirty-year retirement to re-attempt an elusive dream: swimming 103 miles non-stop from Cuba to Florida without the use of a shark cage. Her past and present collide in her obsession with a feat that nobody has ever accomplished. At the edge of The Devil’s Triangle, tropical storms, sharks, venomous jellyfish, and one of the strongest ocean currents in the world, all prove to be life-threatening realities. Timothy Wheeler’s documentary brings Diana Nyad’s extraordinary adventure to life as Diana sets out to prove that will and determination are all you need to make the unimaginable possible."
So in honor of Nyad, today's Monday Morning Video is the trailer for The Other Shore! Can't wait to see it.
Learn more about Diana Nyad on her website.
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Supporters Snaps #8: Team Goldfish Midwest!
I'm asking all the members of Team Goldfish to snap photos of themselves sporting their "official" team swim caps or stickers so my team will be with me on race day, September 22.
As past editions of Supporters Snaps attest, the members of Team Goldfish are a creative and fun bunch, and this week's edition is no exception!
Today's edition of Supporters Snaps features some of the members of Team Goldfish Midwest! I grew up outside of Chicago and these supporters have known me since I was quite little (or in the case of one--since I was born).
On the left and in the center you'll find Barbara (sporting the oh so cool shades) and Dr. Bob who seems to have foregone putting the cap on, and instead just has placed it on his head! I grew up with their daughter, they remain good friends of my parents, and they are generous donors to Team Goldfish.
On the right is my Aunt Mackey! You might notice a family resemblance between her and one of The Original Goldfish. She and my Uncle Larry (along with all my first cousins) are members of Team Goldfish and she's sporting her cap with a lovely shade of red!
What will Team Goldfish members think up next? The photos have really been rolling in, so come back to the blog soon and see!
Friday, September 6, 2013
4 Sites for Swim News, Training and Tips
I think the web is an amazing resource for swim training. And since my last post about online swim training tools turned out to be quite popular (by the standards of my little blog), I figured I'd share some more resources I've discovered.
Folks may be familiar with Active.com as the online community where you can find out about and get tips on swimming, biking and triathlon events. But, I've been pleasantly surprised by the quality of their Swimming section of the site. It has some nice articles on workouts, technique, and in particular open water swimming. I recently enjoyed their list of 7 Swims to Do Before You Die! Yes please to Waikiki Rough Water and Big Shoulders!
As a thanks for supporting the Kickstarter campaign for Touch the Wall, the documentary about Missy Franklin, I was granted one month of free access to GoSwim. While I haven't yet decided if I'll sign up for a subscription (it's $9.99/month or $99.99/year) it is a great source of quality videos on technique featuring both "real people" and some extraordinarily, elite swimmers. Their trailer video features like 20 Olympians demonstrating strokes and drills. Really useful if you're a visual learner, and want your swim technique videos in a consistent and easily searchable format.
Have other recommendations for websites on swim news, training and tips? Email me or tweet me with the hashtag #swimsites.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
From the Team Goldfish Gear Bag: Poolmate Watch
Team Goldfish Note: When I recommend something from the gear bag, it's not because someone's asking or paying me to promote it. I'm sharing some tools and gear that I've found to be good quality and useful for swim training! Please remember it's just one woman's opinion.
For anyone who's ever trained for a big event, or been working on getting better at a sport, you know it's important use data! In the case of swimming, that means being able to track yardage and times. When I talk about my swimming, and the distances I practice, folks often ask how do you keep track of all your laps and times?
That's where the Poolmate Watch from Swimovate comes in! About five months into swimming consistently, my parents gave me the Poolmate as a holiday gift. The instructions were easy to follow to set it up--pool length, your weight, which hand you wear it on. And I immediately loved how it let me track laps and times. And the great advantage of the Poolmate over other tools is that it tracks your lengths automatically--no clicking of counters--because it senses your push off from the wall. You just need to click the button at the beginning and the end of the set. It also stores a history of your workouts so you can go back in time and take a look. While the watch is great for tracking distance in freestyle and back sets, I've found it a bit iffy with my breaststroke sets, and it doesn't track distance in open water, though I do still use it for timing open water swims.
It also has a cool story. It was invented by a married couple who had gotten into triathlon and couldn't find a pool watch. There's a nice little video telling their story on the site!
I have the basic model, but there is also a Pro model which includes the ability to download all your data to the computer. If this post has piqued your interest, the folks at Swimovate are offering 10% any order from their website using the coupon code social10!
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Supporter Snaps #7: Team Goldfish Members Swim in their Caps!
I'm asking all the members of Team Goldfish to snap photos of themselves sporting their "official" team swim caps or stickers so my team will be with me on race day, September 22.
As past editions of Supporters Snaps attest, the members of Team Goldfish are a creative and fun bunch, and this week's edition is no exception!
Today's edition of Supporters Snaps features some of the members of Team Goldfish actually wearing their caps to swim! The top photos feature my friend Jenny (another member of Team Goldfish West-since she's in the Bay Area) who reports that she's been using her cap for her swim training for a sprint triathlon and it seems to make her go especially fast. The bottom photos feature Team Goldfish member Nicolle sporting her cap for a fun day of swimming with friends. Esther Williams would be proud of how she sports it with aplomb!
What will Team Goldfish members think up next? The photos have really been rolling in, so come back to the blog soon and see!
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Diana Nyad Inspires Me to Set 2 Personal Bests!
“@diananyad: "People always ask me What's the hardest part? By far, without a doubt, it's the moment before embarking.” via @OtherShoreMovieYesterday I watched Diana Nyad complete an extraordinary challenge. In her fifth attempt, she swam the 110 miles of the Florida Straits from Cuba to Key West in ~52 hours of non-stop swimming. It was the longest open water swim ever done without a shark cage. On Twitter and her blog she received congratulations messages from Olympic gold medal winning swimmers and famous actors, "regular" people and the President of the United States.
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) August 31, 2013
She was greeted by 100s of people at the beach at Key West and many television cameras. Despite her exhaustion and sunburn and chafed skin and lips she said, "I have three messages. One is, we should never, ever give up. Two is, you never are too old to chase your dreams. And three is, it looks like a solitary sport but it's a team."
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| Diana Nyad Florida Straits Swim Tracker. |
My Labor Day workout:
Warm up:
200 free
100 drill (alternating 25 fingertip drill/25 catch up)
200 free
Main Set:
2x1650
Warm Down:
100 free
50 breast
50 back
100 free
I was pretty shocked when I checked my Poolmate watch for my time on my first 200. I felt like my body was rotating well and I was really "feeling the water." But, 3:34 was an 8 second drop on my previous personal best and I wasn't trying to go fast. Then I managed a 3:35 on the second warm up 200.
I was hoping that I could also log a new personal best in the 1650 free, also known as the swimmer's mile. My previous best was 32:01 from back in May. And because I have been working on distance per stroke and technique, I've logged a lot of slower swims in the last couple of months. But, I also know that in the last couple of weeks, the tweaks to my stroke had started to click, and the strength training and open water practice were helping me move more water.
Even with a week out of the water, I was fast and feeling good. Similar to what I experienced when I logged my new personal best in the 1000, both my 1650s were better than my previous personal best! The second was 31:50, which was a respectable 12 second drop from my previous record. Especially since I had already swum another mile set just 2 minutes before that one. But the first set was a doozie:
It was a 1 minute and 50 second drop! I was so excited I had to let Diana Nyad know:
.@diananyad was my inspriration in the pool today & I dropped 1:50 on my swimmer's mile! #xtremedream #teamgoldfish pic.twitter.com/c0V9cc42jEAnd despite the fact I mispelled inspiration, her team retweeted it! A great way to head into the final three weeks of training before the big swim!
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) September 2, 2013
Monday, September 2, 2013
Monday Morning Video: Swim Across America Baltimore 2012
Only three weeks until the Swim Across America Baltimore Open Water Swim. So it seems fitting to draw some inspiration from last year's event! Check out the beautiful course, the energized swimmers, and how the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center uses the funds raised through the event. I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't mention that there's still time to donate through my fundraising page.
Swim Across America Baltimore 2012 from Coyle Studios on Vimeo.
Swim Across America Baltimore 2012 from Coyle Studios on Vimeo.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Team Goldfish September Training Schedule
It's hard to believe that there are only three weeks until the Swim Across America Baltimore Open Water Swim. I'm excited, and of course, a bit nervous to take on my biggest swim to date--3 miles!
When I get nervous, part of what I like to do is plan. So, now that I'm back from a great week of vacation--which included the Park to Park Swim in Seattle, and 4 great days of hiking on the Olympic Peninsula (I think that counts as cross-training), I mapped out my training schedule for the next 21 days. It's a lot, but I think it's doable, and the prep will get me where I want to be on race day!
When I get nervous, part of what I like to do is plan. So, now that I'm back from a great week of vacation--which included the Park to Park Swim in Seattle, and 4 great days of hiking on the Olympic Peninsula (I think that counts as cross-training), I mapped out my training schedule for the next 21 days. It's a lot, but I think it's doable, and the prep will get me where I want to be on race day!
I won a medal redux!
Back in July, I wrote about my great experience swimming at the Chris Green Lake Swim in Charlottesville, VA. I also shared my excitement in having placed third in my age group and snagging my first ever open water medal! A couple of weeks ago, they posted photos from the medal ceremony, and I wanted to share the one of me!
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
From the Team Goldfish Gear Bag: Bag Balm
I've tried a bunch of products to help prevent and soothe chafing--from good ol' Vaseline to Body Glide--but nothing really worked for me. That is until I learned about Bag Balm. The mix of lanolin and petroleum gives this balm the texture of an extra thick petroleum jelly. After reading about it on an open water forum I ordered a tin (yes it comes in retro-y tins). I was happy to discover that it doesn't have a smell. It's soothing when your skin is chaffed, and works wonders in protecting it from new chaffing by staying on during swims.
And it's got a great history. Bag Balm was originally developed in 1899 in Vermont by dairy farmers to help sooth the chapped udders of cows during the cold winters. If it's good enough for a cow, it's good enough for a goldfish!
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Supporter Snaps #6: Team Goldfish West!
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| Team Goldfish West: Charlene, Marta and Anneka! |
As past editions of Supporters Snaps attest, the members of Team Goldfish are a creative and fun bunch, and this week's edition is no exception!
Today's edition of Supporters Snaps features some of the members of Team Goldfish West. On the left, opting to be mysterious and sport a very fancy fish face, is Charlene. Char is one of my mom's closest friends and she's like another aunt to me. On the right is my friend, Seattle host, and Park to Park swim buddy, Marta. She is training to be a therapist and had a colleague snap her photo sporting her swim cap while sitting in the chair she administers therapy in. In the lower right corner is her dog Anneka, who looks just as happy as fellow canine Team Goldfish member Frankie, to be sporting her swim cap. Ha! Thanks for your creativity ladies!
What will Team Goldfish members think up next? Come back next Tuesday to see!
Monday, August 26, 2013
Monday Morning Video: Swimming Apes!
Last week National Geographic posted a story about the first recorded example of apes swimming. As a lover of both anthropology and swimming, I thought I'd make this footage of an orangutan named Suryia and a chimpanzee named Cooper our Monday Morning Video (I couldn't embed the Nat Geo video, but found the above on the Guardian UK site).
Also check out the website of the scientists who created the video--Nicole and Renato Bender--who are interested in "primates' interaction with water," which they believe has been understudied in human evolutionary circles.
Looking forward to learning more about hominids' evolutionary history with swimming as their research continues!
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Park to Park Swim-Cap
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| Marta and Alison swim Lake Washington in Seattle! |
Today, Team Goldfish member Marta and I set out to do a much more measured swim--the 1.42 mile swim across Lake Washington--at the Park to Park swim in Seattle.
Following a full day of plane travel and a rough night of sleep (when you've trained yourself to get up at 6 am or before, the three hour time difference between the east and west coasts can wreak some havoc on your sleep routine), I picked Marta up at her apartment and we headed out to Matthews Beach at Lake Washington.
We lucked out with an absolutely perfect day--the sun was shining, and while the air was cool, the water temperature was really mild. And Lake Washington is gorgeous! But, I was sort of running around like a chicken with my head cut off, mainly due to the really long bathroom line. No time for dynamic warm ups, or the shoulder and thoracic spine opening stretches I'd hoped to do. Lots of rushing to get ready in time for the start of our wave.
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| The route of the Park to Park Open Water Swim |
The Park to Park Swim sold out this year, but it's not a race. It's a fundraiser for Seattle Children's hospital. As such, they don't time it for you, and you didn't need to provide a seed time, just the time range you expected it would take you to finish the swim. Both Marta and I, along with about 100 other swimmers, had checked the box next to 30-50 minutes. So we were the penultimate wave (the slowest swimmers went first), and far and away the biggest.
I've learned that you have good days, and rough days in the water. That's true when you're me or Missy Franklin. There are days that I swim fast and it hurts, and days I swim slow and feels good and vice versa. I think the combination of the plane travel, rough night's sleep, rushed feeling, and wearing my wetsuit for the first time since May, and the fact that there was nothing to site to (no buoys, just the other shore) made it one of those rough days.
If I reflect on the race, there is a lot I could have done better. I got swept up in the start, and overswam--too fast, not finding my rhythm, breathing every stroke cycle. And it took me nearly a mile to calm myself down. In the middle of the lake, the chop picked up and while my stroke allowed me to cut through it, I honestly didn't have a lot of fun doing it. (In contrast, I had a really fun 1.5 mile swim on Thursday night at National Harbor. I was tired after a morning lift, and a full work day, but enjoyed the process, was feeling the water well, and held my form and moved fast). By the last half mile, I did manage to find my form, but my wetsuit lifts my butt and legs and I need to work on correcting the arch it creates in my back.
Marta debriefed our experiences at the beach of O.O. Denny (the photos above are from the end of the race--both of us wore our Team Goldfish caps under our swim-sanctioned caps), and she had a similar experience.
And for all that critique, we both still managed to finish in between 44 and 45 minutes, she a bit ahead of me. Right what we were aiming for.
It was a rough swim, it was less fun than I had hoped, yet I powered through and I think it will help me be mentally tougher and better prepared for the big swim on September 22.
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| Me and Marta post swim |
A special shout out to Marta who has been a great friend, training buddy and supporter of me and Team Goldfish. She was one of the people who said "you should totally sign up for that 3 mile swim" way back in the spring!
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Gone Swimming! Seattle Park to Park Swim
Today, I'm flying out to "the other Washington" for a week of vacation. I'll be spending a majority of my time hiking and camping on the Olympic Peninsula.
But, before I commune with nature, I'll be spending some quality time with my friend and swim buddy, and former neighbor, Marta. In fact, Marta will be joining me in my penultimate open water swim of the season-the 1.42 mile Park to Park swim across Lake Washington in Seattle! This event will benefit the Patient Emergency Assistance Fund at Seattle Children's Hospital.
I'm excited about a lot of things relating to this event. First, I'm psyched to swim with Marta. Second, I've never done a point-to-point swim (as the logo says--no turns) so this will be a new adventure. And third, this will be only the second time I'll be swimming in a wet suit. I haven't worn one since my first open water swim back over Memorial Day weekend when I logged a mile in a very respectable 33:14. So I'm excited to see how fast I can go, given the additional experience in open water, all the hard training I've been doing this summer, and with the benefit of my wetsuit's buoyancy.
For now, I've gone swimming!
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| Some of my favorite spots on the Olympic Peninsula: Ozette, Kalaloch and the Ho Rain Forest. |
But, before I commune with nature, I'll be spending some quality time with my friend and swim buddy, and former neighbor, Marta. In fact, Marta will be joining me in my penultimate open water swim of the season-the 1.42 mile Park to Park swim across Lake Washington in Seattle! This event will benefit the Patient Emergency Assistance Fund at Seattle Children's Hospital.
Emergency Patient Assistance Fund at
I'm excited about a lot of things relating to this event. First, I'm psyched to swim with Marta. Second, I've never done a point-to-point swim (as the logo says--no turns) so this will be a new adventure. And third, this will be only the second time I'll be swimming in a wet suit. I haven't worn one since my first open water swim back over Memorial Day weekend when I logged a mile in a very respectable 33:14. So I'm excited to see how fast I can go, given the additional experience in open water, all the hard training I've been doing this summer, and with the benefit of my wetsuit's buoyancy.
For now, I've gone swimming!
Friday, August 23, 2013
The Goldfish Net: Interesting Swim Stuff from Around the Interweb
Lone Swimmer: Addressing my own stroke deficiencies
Great post about getting back to technique basics, featuring video drills from a resource new to me, Grimseys Adult Swim.
Swimming Science: Friday Interview with Kevin O'Connell Ph.D. Candidate on Genes and Cramping
This one is pretty technical, but if you're like me and you get cramps (I can get brutal charley horses in my calves), you've probably been told that it's a result of dehydration. O'Connell's research indicates a genetic source of cramping (which may be why my dad suffers from calf cramps, too.) Interesting exploration of the science, and then some practical tips about preventing and dealing with cramps.
USA Triathalon: Plan Your Open Water Swim Training
Something so obvious, that I hadn't thought about, "Just as you need to have a solid plan for your workouts in the pool (warm up, drills, main sets, cool down) you need to have a plan for your open water swims as well."
Swim Across America launched a Blog!
Only one post up yet, but they promise more to come!
Finding at 50: NYC Swim Statue of Liberty Swim...cap
Louise Darlington does an epic recap (with great photos) of her experience doing NYC Swim's Statue of Liberty swim. It's definitely making me want to do it next year! And she posted part 2 with insight into her training and tips.
"The hourlong class, held on a steamy summer evening, was a step toward
addressing one of New York’s more persistent and surprising disparities:
many of the poor and working-class residents who live along some of the
most popular beaches in the city cannot swim."
Something fun to end on! The Guardian recreated Michael Phelps' 16th Gold Medal (1 year ago) in Legos. SwimSwam also has the comparison to the real footage!
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Happy Anniversary!
It's my first anniversary with swimming! To honor the occasion, I've been reflecting on all the progress that I have made over the last year, and I realized that I had inadvertently captured a lot of it on Twitter. So here are some highlights from my first year as a swimmer!
Strong swim w/ assist from @SpeedoUSA #paceclub & the new @casadecalexico record are making this morning rock despite slow @wmata bus.
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) September 13, 2012
Swimmers at my gym are early birds, but not on Mon! Lane to myself for my @SpeedoUSA #paceclub test set. I'm not fast, but I'm consistent!
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) September 24, 2012
So excited about my new fins that I walked around the apt in them like a duck. #swimmingnerd pic.twitter.com/07jk2tgf
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) September 27, 2012
Fun feature of @SpeedoUSA #paceclub is tracking my swims vs. distance from Sri Lanka to India. As of this morning, I've logged 10% of 169 mi
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) October 15, 2012
Week 8, workout 1 of the @SpeedoUSA #PaceClub intermediate endurance track complete. What do I do next? #157milesleftfromSriLankatoIndia
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) October 26, 2012
I feel confident that tomorrow morning's swim workout is going to be rough. #toomuchhalloweencandy #sugarhigh
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) November 1, 2012
Benefit of DC residency: empty pool on election day. Disadvantage: no direct rep. in congress. #notafairtrade #forward pic.twitter.com/PHsB5NOI
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) November 6, 2012
Great start to the day in an empty pool that was the perfect temperature! #it'sthesmallthings #1dayuntilvacation pic.twitter.com/FpTr3Jwt
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) November 16, 2012
Made it through my post-Thanksgiving swim this morning, despite feeling like there was a turkey strapped to my torso.
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) November 23, 2012
Started the day w/ a swim. Now feel like I'm swimming in a pool of oil from making latkes! #isthisthemiracle? #hanukah pic.twitter.com/PanFF99O
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) December 9, 2012
My pool for the week. Anticipating the let down of indoor swims in 30 deg, grey weather. #bettertohavelovedandlost? pic.twitter.com/MLacBIqT
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) December 26, 2012
Belated birthday gift to myself: @MastersSwimming membership.
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) December 28, 2012
Yds swum 1/1-9/3/12: 0. Yds swum 9/4-12/31/12: 101,275. Excited to build on the momentum in 2013! ht @SpeedoUSA #paceclub
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) December 31, 2012
This morning on the hotel gym elliptical machine, I kept thinking "I'd rather be swimming." The reverse has never been true. #worktravel
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) January 11, 2013
Logged 18mi/31750yds in the pool this month. Good thing, bc the @MastersSwimming fitness log taunts me when I fall behind! #200milesin2013
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) January 31, 2013
Sunrise at the pool. Had a lane all to myself this morning. #smallpleasures pic.twitter.com/YnVmKPG9
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) February 12, 2013
@AKGold11 great job!!!! Keep it up
— Speedo® USA (@SpeedoUSA) February 16, 2013
Broke 100 miles in my @SpeedoUSA #paceclub virtual swim from Sri Lanka to India this morning! #101milesswum69milestogo
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) March 9, 2013
Reached my first @MastersSwimming Go the Distance Milestone today! 50 miles down, 150 to go. Just in time to head out on vacation.
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) March 14, 2013
Psyched that after 3 wks out of the pool & a cold, I dropped another 4 secs off my pb in the 1000! #justkeepswimming pic.twitter.com/dfVqODIJxO
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) April 6, 2013
During today's swim I passed the 200,000 yard mark on my @SpeedoUSA #paceclub swim from Sri Lanka-India! #58milestogo
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) April 13, 2013
28 days until my 1st open water swim & I'm training hard. Dropped 7 secs from my PB in the 1650! #justkeepswimming
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) April 27, 2013
Looking badass (& ridiculous) in my brand new @XTERRAWETSUITS. Can't wait to wear it at the Jim McDonnell Lake Swim! pic.twitter.com/NLuyBBb9Ia
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) May 10, 2013
Less than a week until the Jim McDonnell Lake Swims! So excited for my first open water race! @Reston_Masters @MastersSwimming
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) May 20, 2013
Getting my calories for the @Reston_Masters Jim McDonnell Lake Swim. #breakfastofchampions #oratleastoffinishers pic.twitter.com/lwKV4PWCOO
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) May 26, 2013
I swim, and I blog about it at: http://t.co/r9U8UHzLlv!
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) July 10, 2013
Great idea or greatest idea? Happy Hour Swim http://t.co/BUOqsBY2vm #teamgoldfish #swimming
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) July 12, 2013
Fast mid-morning swim! 144 miles done, only 25 miles left in my @SpeedoUSA #paceclub virtual swim from Sri Lanka to India.
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) June 17, 2013
@AKGold11 you've inspired me. I bought a suit and will be trying out the pool at the gym this week!
— kristen suzda (@BlondeOnBicycle) July 29, 2013
Major milestone! I've completed my virtual swim from Sri Lanka to India via @SpeedoUSA #paceclub! #wheretonext pic.twitter.com/zBtXjsg5r7
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) August 9, 2013
New pb in the 1000! Dropped 52 secs since last month. Getting ready for @SAAswim #baltimore #teamgoldfish pic.twitter.com/pgKIXSCx57
— Alison Gold (@AKGold11) August 10, 2013
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